Third Time Lucky

As Wales was out of the question we took a caravan at Cresswell Towers for four nights and explored parts of mid and North Northumbria that are just that bit too far for a day trip.

Low Newton By The Sea is an exceedingly picturesque village that has been so popular for so many years that non-residents cars are not allowed to drive down into it.   

Instead there is a carpark just over the brow of the hill, hidden from view of the village and not so big that the place gets swamped with people.

I first tried to go to Low Newton with Phil in the early 1990s, but the carpark and surrounding roads were full so we gave up.
When the boys were tiny and Mic was playing cricket somewhere in Northumberland I tried again: a summer Sunday afternoon so once again the car park was full.
But this time, because we left Cresswell by 10am and were there early doors, the carpark was hardly half full and we finally made it.

As you walk over the brow of the hill from the carpark the village and the beach open out before you.

 

It’s like walking into the cover of an Enid Blyton Adventure book.

A tiny village comprising a three sided terrace square of cottages, and an Inn: the third side a seawall opening onto the beach.

The sea with rocky outcrops and tiny islands.

Dunes peppered with little holiday home huts.

A golden crescent of beach, beyond that a large bay and the cliffy headland with Dunstanburgh castle sitting on top.   

The keep looks for all the world like a crouching Norse dragon just waiting to pounce.

On the hill behind you the old whitewashed Coastguard's cottage, with its radio mast still stretching into the sky.

Like Bamburgh there was a promenade of dog walkers, again all very well behaved.

But there were also wellied and barefoot children digging and playing in the sand.

 

We walked as far as the point of the crescent and realised we could, if we wished, walk all around the next bay to Dunstanburgh.

We didn’t because we had one or two more places to go to ...